Acceptance
by Neko-Salosa
Summary: When Jake turns 13 he is readily accepted as the first American Dragon without really having to do much. This was because when he was younger, he proved himself to everyone without even realizing it. Note: Jake is five when this takes place.


Lao Shi and Fu sat across from a myriad of magical creatures in a dimly lit room. There was a heavy wooden table between them and an uncomfortable silence permeated the room until someone finally stepped forward to confront the older dragon.

"A dragon representative?" a river nymph asked dubiously. "You think by proclaiming that our country will be represented in the council everything will just go away?"

Lao Shi sighed and tugged on his white beard. "I do not expect the problems to disappear," he admitted. "But perhaps by knowing that a dragon will soon represent them the people of this country will settle down."

The tree nymph next to the river nymph snorted rudely. "Old man, we've been in civil war for hundreds of years. You knew that when you immigrated here. It's not a matter of being represented anymore; it's a matter of having a strong leader. Besides, there are all of two dragons who have been born in this country. And they're what… five and four years old? I know you're strong Lao Shi but it will take more then that to pull this country back up."

Fu Dog grinned at the two pretty women and raised his eyebrows. "Hey, the dragon council already chose the first American Dragon sweet cheeks. They seem to think the kid will do the job, and before you pass judgement maybe you should see for yourself?"

The two nymphs exchanged glances. "Who is it?" the river nymph asked.

"My eldest grandson," Lao Shi replied evenly. "Jacob Long."

Both women raised their eyebrows and there was a murmur among the other magical creatures in the room. "The kid with the human father?" the tree nymph asked.

"Having a human parent doesn't mean anything," Lao Shi replied pointedly. He narrowed his eyes, clearly upset at the implication that the dragon council's decision was wrong for such a reason.

The two nymphs stepped back and the forest nymph held up her hands. "That's not what I meant," she quickly told the old dragon. "Well… I mean…"

"He does not know of our kind," a rough voice said. "His own kind for that matter." An old, withered troll leaned forward and eyed Lao Shi. "This is the same child that was born to your daughter Susan, right?" he asked.

Lao Shi nodded. "Yes, and it is Susan's wish that he does not know of the magical underworld until he is older. Especially now that he has been chosen as the American Dragon. I'm afraid to say that I respect her wishes and agree with them. Lest he say something that would give away his secret to the wrong person."

"A dragon child," the troll continued. "Born and raised among the humans, chosen when he was merely five years old and based on something we cannot see because we are not allowed to interact with him. You tell us to trust you but you are a foreigner and you know it. We in this country have lived here for hundreds of years, ignored by all others because we did not have a representative, a voice.

"Telling us to suddenly accept everything you say is foolish, O dragon. Here we are in the underworld, on the edge of nearly a half century at war and you ask us to place our faith in the hands of a five year old we are not allowed to meet?" The troll leaned forward over the dimly lit table and snarled. "Were is the common sense that you are so revered for, Lao Shi?"

At the end of his speech the room erupted into harsh whispers and nods of agreement. Fu and Lao Shi exchanged worried looks until Fu decided to switch tactics. "Okay, okay," he said while holding up his paws to silence the room. "Look, we know it's a bit much to ask but please don't make it too hard on the kid. We asked you guys to come here because we want you to sign a temporary truce until he gets older. See what its like. He's a good kid and the dragon council said they would let him sit in Council when he turns thirteen if you're not at war."

A fairy flitted into the light and landed gently on the table. "Fu," she said quietly. "We don't trust dragons. Why would we suddenly run to the council now after being ignored for five hundred years? Don't you think it's odd that no dragon immigrated here until the 1980's?"

"The dragons were scared," Fu protested. "Because you all were fighting. That's not a fair argument and you know it," he snapped.

The fairy frowned and looked back at the rest who were standing behind her. A witch stepped forward and rubbed the top of her rough hewn cane as she thought. "May we think about it?" she asked in a crooning voice. "You are not our leader so you have no right to conduct a treaty among us. However, if we agree to a cease fire among us then it is the same thing."

Lao Shi rubbed his temples. "You've asked for that before and it never amounted to anything. How is this different?"

The witch grinned and showed two rows of mossy teeth. "Well, you said it yourself, didn't you? We have a representative now."

Lao Shi nodded. "Very well. A week?"

There was a murmur of agreement among the magical leaders and Lao Shi stood up and left quietly. Fu jumped down from his chair and padded to the door. "Uh, by the way. If ya'll decide to actually try and get a look at the kid just try not to get seen, please?"

"We've been warring secretly for hundreds of years without the humans noticing," the tree nymph said with a sad grin. "I think we can handle that."

Fu ducked his head in acknowledgement and left the building.

The river nymph stepped where Lao Shi had previously stood. "Are you all seriously ready to stop fighting?" she asked. "Are we that tired?"

"Considering if this was 300 years ago we would have all tried to kill each other on sight, I think that means we're for a change," the witch pointed out with a cackle.

"I don't like falling into the dragon's claws so easily," the fairy said.

The troll stood up with a grunt. "I tire of fighting, but I agree with the fairy. I will stop fighting but not because the dragons tell us too. And I do not accept a leader because the dragons tell us too. I will accept who I wish because I decide it."

"Fair enough," the tree nymph said. Everyone else in the room nodded, including those that hadn't spoken. Then gradually the room emptied until no one was left.

* * *

"Fu!" Jake yelled loudly and tackled the dog. Fu collapsed under the hyperactive five year old's pounce and sighed.

Susan smiled apologetically at the dog and turned to her father. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"I do not mind," Lao Shi said. "You need your rest and Jonathan is out of town. Get some rest, daughter," he said gently.

Susan rubbed her stomach and winced. "Thanks dad. I think this one may be coming sooner then we thought. I wish Jonathan were here but if it happens it happens."

Jake turned around and ran over to his mother. He stood on tiptoe and pressed his ear up against her stomach. "Is the baby coming?" he asked.

Susan smiled. "Soon, I hope," she groaned. She knelt down as best she could and stroked Jake's hair. "Honey, while daddy's out of town you're going to stay here with your grandfather, all right? I'm going to go upstate for a few days and rest."

"Like a nap?" Jake asked.

Susan laughed and rubbed Jake's head. "A really long nap," she said. "And when daddy gets back hopefully the baby will be born."

Jake threw his hands into the air. "Baby!" he yelled. "Then I can sit on your lap?" he asked.

Susan nodded and rubbed her nose with Jake's. "Yes, and we'll read lots and lots of stories."

Jake giggled and nodded. "Okay. I hope the baby comes soon then."

Susan straightened up with a grimace and sighed. "Me too," she admitted. "Be good for your grandfather, okay?"

"I will, I promise," Jake said with a small grin.

"Thanks again dad," Susan told Lao Shi.

"It is quite all right, daughter. Now, go rest," he told her gently.

Susan walked to the front of the shop and turned to see Jake rubbing Fu's belly and Lao Shi motioning for her to leave. She nodded and waved and left.

Lao Shi walked over to his grandson. "Are you sure you don't mind staying here for a few days?" he asked Jake. "If you get upset then we can call your father."

Jake shook his head and continued to rub Fu's belly. "No, I like it in grandpa's shop," he said enthusiastically. "There's lotsa cool stuff to play with."

"Remember, young one. Just stay out of the back room," Lao Shi warned.

"Yes," Jake replied but it was obvious he really wasn't paying attention to Lao Shi anymore.

Fu's tongue was hanging out of his mouth as Jake continued to rub his belly. Jake giggled and straightened up. "Hm…" he looked outside. There were a few clouds, but nothing horrible. "Grandpa?" he asked.

Lao Shi looked up from his register. "Yes?"

"Can I take Fu on a walk?" Jake asked. He pointed outside of the shop.

Lao Shi glanced at Fu who shrugged and nodded. "All right, go get the leash," he said.

"Yay," Jake yelled and ran into the adjacent room.

"Keep a close eye on him," Lao Shi said in a whisper. "If anything happens, bark loudly and get someone's attention. And don't let him go too far."

Fu grinned wickedly. "You'd think I was the one taking the kid on a walk," he said while laughing.

"Just keep clear of the underworld entrances and you'll be fine," Lao Shi said.

Fu saluted with his paw and then dropped back down to all fours when Jake ran back out with the leash in his hands. "Let's go," he said excitedly and clipped the leash onto Fu's collar.

"Be back in an hour," Lao Shi warned. "Before the sun sets."

"I promise," Jake yelled and ran out of the shop, pulling a huffing Fu behind him.

* * *

Jake walked along the Hudson River and kicked a small pebble into the murky water. Fu idly wondered how they had gotten so far and then returned to his nap. He felt like he had just ran a marathon. Jake noticed the dog's exhaustion and grinned. He tied the leash around a bench and skidded down the embankment to the edge of the river.

He touched the water and smiled as it rippled in the fading sunlight. He looked up at the sky sighed, knowing that he would have to go back soon. Too bad, he really liked wandering around the city even if it made his mother nervous. He knew all sorts of places to hide around his house and the shop where his grandfather worked. Sooner or later he would know every good place to hide but until then he was happy with the few moments he got by himself.

Jake wandered a little bit up the river ways; far enough that there was some new scenery but close enough that he could still see the sleeping Fu. He looked back at the silly dog that was now on his back with his paws in the air. He laughed quietly before he heard a small mewling sound. Jake glanced back at the river and saw a small kitten in a soggy cardboard box that looked as if it would break apart at any moment. The box was pressed up against some downed branches that were in the river.

Jake skidded down as close to the river as he could get and tried to reach out to the box. His small hand made it possibly ten feet away from the half drowned cat. Jake bit his lower lip and pondered what to do. He was afraid of the water but he didn't want to see the kitty die right in front of him. He glanced back at Fu who still looked as if he was asleep. Then he looked at the kitten. Finally he made up his mind.

Jake gingerly stepped onto the tree branch and held onto it tightly. He skidded his way across it, wrapping his arms and legs around the wood as tightly as he could. He scooted out to where the kitten was trapped and reached out to where it was mewling pitifully. "C'mere… kitty…kitty…" he said softly, trying to keep his voice from quivering.

The kitten simply kept on mewling and despite Jake's efforts, it didn't really seem like he was getting any closer to rescuing it. Finally the cardboard box that it was prancing about in dissolved and the kitten was pushed roughly against the branches by the current of the river.

Jake quickly leaned over and grabbed the small creature as best he could. He winced then the panicked animal sunk its claws into his hand but held on fast as he pulled it towards himself. "Shh…kitty…kitty…" he said softly and set it into the big pocket of his hoodie. The kitten comically poked its wet head out of the cloth but simply shivered in the pocket as Jake concentrated on scooting back to shore.

He gingerly set his foot on a branch to push himself back onto the grass but once he applied weight to it the branch snapped. Jake screamed as he fell into the river and grabbed ahold of a branch and the kitten to make sure neither one of them got swept away.

He clung to the branch as the pull of the river washed around him and he felt hot tears sting the corners of his eyes. "Mommy!" he yelled before a strong arm reached down and pulled him right out of the river.

Jake coughed and sputtered and curled up into a little ball in the arms of whoever had happened to pull him out of the river. He took several deep breaths as the voice of a woman lectured him. "Jesus Christ kid! What were you thinking? Where are your parents? Letting you come out here like that."

Jake opened one eye to see a woman with pale skin and dark gray hair look back down at him. He sniffled and tears started to flow freely from his eyes. "I…" he hiccupped as he cried. "I didn't want to fall. Th-there… was…" he hiccupped again. "A k-kitten… and it was g-gonna…diiiieeeee…" Jake continued to sob as the woman looked somewhat concerned and rather uncomfortable.

"Um… there…there?" she said, trying to comfort him. "Well, let's get you away from here for the moment," she sighed. "Where are your parents?"

"I-I…was…walking Fu…" Jake continued to sob.

"Fu?" the woman asked. "Wait…"

Jake felt himself get carried up the embankment and watched as she walked back to fully awake Fu. If Jake didn't know any better, he would have sworn the dog was smiling. "You…" she started.

Fu barked loudly and let his tongue hang out of his mouth in a ludicrous manner. He wagged his tail and panted. Jake felt the tears still falling down his cheeks and he tried his best to mop them up with his wet hoodie. "You know Fu?" Jake asked.

"I know his owner," she said gently. "Lao Shi, right?" she asked with a smile.

Jake nodded. "I was walking Fu and… here," he said quietly and pulled the bedraggled kitten out of his pocket. It mewled pitifully in his hands but stayed quietly despite the fact that Jake was dripping wet.

"You walked into a river to save a kitten?" she asked. "Silly child. You need to be more careful. Your grandfather will worry you know."

Jake sniffled again and the tears threatened to fall but he held fast. He simply nodded and glanced back down at Fu.

"Hey Crystal, why did you take off so…" another woman came running over the hill and Jake looked over to see that she was dressed in a brown business suit and had what possibly could have been dark green hair tucked up into a wide brimmed hat. She pushed the sunglasses she was wearing further up her nose and sighed. "Another kid fall into you…I mean the river?"

"Yeah, silly kid was trying to save a kitten," Crystal replied.

"I'm not silly," Jake protested. He squirmed and Crystal set him gently down. Jake cuddled the kitten and stood dripping wet on the sidewalk, shivering. The other woman came over and knelt down, eyeing him oddly.

Jake sniffed and looked up at her. "You know grandpa too?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, I know your granddad. My name's Ivy, pleased to meet you. What were you doing out here all alone?"

Jake pointed to Fu. "I was walking the dog."

"Your grandfather lets you walk the dog in New York city by yourself?" Ivy asked incredulously.

Fu sat up and snorted and turned around to face Ivy. He gave her a look that said 'were you expecting some other dog?' Ivy raised and eyebrow but shook her head. "Never mind. I understand." She adjusted the brim of her hat and let out a slow breath. "Well, we should head back to Lao Shi's shop then."

Jake shivered and nodded. "I didn't mean to fall in," he said softly. He picked up Fu's leash and started to walk down the street with the two women on either side of him. Suddenly he stopped short. "Wait, I'm not supposed to talk to strangers," he suddenly remembered.

Crystal and Ivy looked at one another and burst out laughing. "Don't worry, we're not strangers. We both know your grandpa and Susan."

"Mom?" He grinned. "So you're nice ladies then?" he asked.

Crystal sighed and flipped her hair around her shoulders. "I would hope we are," she murmured. "Come on."

* * *

Lao Shi looked up to see Jake half asleep in the arms of the leader of the river nymphs and Fu being walked by the leader of the forest nymphs come into his shop. Lao Shi grabbed the side of the counter and glared at Fu who grinned sheepishly back.

"Hello, ladies," Lao Shi said after he regained his composure.

"The kid was trying to save a kitten," Crystal said and pointed to the furry creature in Jake's arms.

Jake smiled sleepily at Lao Shi and pet the kitten. "It's nice," he said simply. "I didn't mean to fall in."

Lao Shi groaned and took Jake from Crystal. "Ayah, your mother is going to kill me," he said softly as he held his sopping grandson in a tight hug. The kitten mewled and jumped out of the awkward embrace.

Jake stood up on his own and smiled at Lao Shi as best he could. "We could not tell her," he said hopefully.

Crystal and Ivy hid grins as Lao Shi sighed. "No, that will not do young one. Go take a shower and get changed for bed. We'll discuss what to say to your mother tomorrow."

Jake nodded and ran up the stairs with water dripping off his shirt every step of the way.

Lao Shi turned and faced Fu with a glare. "You let him go into the river?" he asked quietly.

"Relax gramps, I knew they were close by," Fu said looking at Ivy and Crystal. "So were a few others actually. I know you don't like it but lemme tell you the kid… well I don't think we'll have any more arguing."

"He could have drowned," Lao Shi protested.

Crystal shook her head. "No," she sighed. "Fu's right. I was keeping an eye on the river because of last night's storm. Not that it wasn't stupid but he wasn't in any danger."

"Give me credit, Lao Shi," Fu said quietly. The use of his name elicited the dog an odd look from the old dragon. "I would never, ever, let anything happen to him on my watch. But he needed to prove to them what he could do and it couldn't be staged. He was chosen because he's willing to climb out on a branch to save a kitten even though he was terrified. That's who he is, and you know it."

Lao Shi smiled. "That is true. He takes much after his parents."

"And grand parents," Ivy offered. "You're right, he is a good kid. I think we'll be okay with waiting a few more years."

"We'll have to keep an eye out for him though," Crystal sighed. "He's a trouble maker, isn't he?"

"You have no idea," Fu said quietly.

"My though, he is obviously a dragon isn't he?" Ivy laughed. "Green hair? How did Susan explain that to Jonathan?"

"She said it was an old genetic thing in my side of the family," Lao Shi explained. "And she tells anyone else that it's dyed. It will be easier to explain when he's older."

"I can't wait to see what kind of dragon he'll be," Crystal said with a smile. "It's exciting, to have our own dragon. Don't think we trust you too much yet. I'm just agreeing cause he's cute."

"Same," Ivy agreed.

Lao Shi bowed as they both exited his shop. "He will go far," he said quietly.

"Heh, like you did?" Fu asked as he curled up on the couch.

Lao Shi nodded. "Farther, I hope."

* * *

I always wondered, how come they accepted it so easily? Jake being the american dragon, especially because he was the first. So here's my take on why everyone is so okay with Jake being the american dragon. Fluff, cuteness and some other stuff. Uber long though.Hope you enjoyed. Hugs to my reviewers! 


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